Woman, teen daughter hospitalized after water rescue Illinois State Beach Park, officials say

BEACH PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A woman was critically injured and her teen daughter was also hospitalized after a water rescue Thursday at Illinois State beach Park.

The stretch of state-run beach is open to the public and not monitored by any lifeguards. Local rescuers in Lake County said they're being increasingly stretched thin trying to protect swimmers once they're already in trouble.

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Rescuers rushed to the beach just south of the Wisconsin state border yet again Thursday afternoon to save a swimmer frantic on a hot summer's afternoon.

The water distress incident happened around 4:15 p.m. along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Beach Park Fire Protection District said.

A woman in her 30s was underwater for about five minutes, fire officials said. Her 14-year-old daughter remained above water, but inhaled a lot of water.

The mother and daughter were rescued from the water by "heroic bystanders" who started CPR on the woman, officials said.

The woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Her daughter was also taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

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"It looked like there were people around screaming," witness Jesus Fuentes said.

Fuentes and his friends stood from a distance at Illinois State Beach Park while Lake County, Illinois deputies and rescuers pulled a mother and 14-year-old girl from the water. It's the very same spot where a boy the same age drowned just two weeks ago.

Speaking at a city council meeting Tuesday night, Zion's Fire Chief said local rescuers have collectively begged for state money.

"IDNR clearly communicated that there is no existing budget, nor any current plans to assist individual municipalities or fire protection districts with emergency response boats or additional lakefront staffing during the swimming season," Zion Fire Department Chief Justin Stried said.

Lake Michigan experts with the Great Lakes Surf and Rescue Project said the seemingly serene stretch of shoreline has grown increasingly dangerous and deadly, especially at jagged break wall formations.

"Unfortunately, the rocks that they've dumped in the water has actually created shoreline instability, so it has completely reconfigured the beach," said Dave Benjamin, co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf and Rescue Project.

Great Lakes Surf and Rescue Project says 23 people have drowned so far this year in Lake Michigan.

No further information about Thursday's water rescue was immediately available.